Nick Lachey discusses The Sing-Off, his fiance & Newlyweds!

The Sing-Off got attention during its freshman season, but this season, the NBC competition is super-hot! Viewers are tuning in to watch the reality TV version of Glee sectionals and they’re liking it. One person who’s not surprised is The Sing-Off host Nick Lachey and SheKnows has the exclusive!

Nick Lachey lets us in!

SheKnows: For those who haven’t tuned in yet, what is The Sing-Off about?Nick Lachey: It’s a competition reality show about a cappella singing. A capella is something I’m passionate about. I grew up singing a cappella and 98 Degrees, obviously, did a lot of a cappella, so it’s great to see it celebrated. To me, it’s the most difficult and truest way of singing. There’s nowhere to hide. There’s no instrumentation backing vocals. It’s your talent, your voice, on stage naked. You find out pretty quickly what you can do. That moment when you hit that perfect blend and hit that perfect note — there’s nothing like it.

SheKnows: How is season two different from the first round?

Nick Lachey: I was pleasantly surprised in the first season by how talented the groups turned out to be and I’m excited for season two. You’re going to see even more talent. I can’t wait to see how it all plays out!

SheKnows: Did you help select the competitors?

Nick Lachey: The production company did auditions all across the country. I was not at them. I’m completely impartial. I’m not a judge. I’m a host, so it’s a great gig, because I get to support everybody and be everybody’s best friend and just enjoy it! The judges are Shawn Stockman, Ben Folds and Nicole Scherzinger.

SheKnows: Did you watch Nicole on Dancing With the Stars?

Nick Lachey: I did! She did great. She’s a great performer. She’s got a knack for that and I can see people’s complaint that she had a bit of a leg up on Dancing With the Stars, because she came in prepared, but she’s a great girl, a lot of fun to be around and obviously, very talented.

Nick Lachey on Vanessa Minnillo

SheKnows: Do you get hosting tips from your fiance, Vanessa Minnillo, who hosts True Beauty?Nick Lachey: She’s such a natural at hosting. Having done TRL live for three years, there’s nothing she hasn’t seen and no curveball that hasn’t been thrown before, so I try to learn from her. She’s a great resource for me, because she knows it inside and out, and has been very supportive of me.

SheKnows: You and Jessica Simpson were the first to invite people into your home, with Newlyweds…

Nick Lachey: Dumb [laughs]!

SheKnows: So you regret it?

Nick Lachey: Not at all. Reality TV has evolved a lot since then. It was certainly an experience and not one I’m sure I’d ever do again. I don’t say “never” to anything, but it takes a toll on your life. That said, it was also a lot of fun and a great experience.

SheKnows: Did your time living in front of the world make you more approachable to fans?

Nick Lachey: Yes. The beauty of doing a show like that and what made ours successful is that we were very real. People got a chance to know me, as a person. That’s a great thing, most of the time. It is a little weird when you’re walking down the street and someone says, “Hey Nick,” like they’ve known you for years and you have no idea who this person is.

SheKnows: Why is reality TV so successful?

Nick Lachey: I think it’s that sick peeping Tom in all of us. We’re kind of dirty. We get to look into other people’s lives and in some sick way, we get off on that. I thought it would have run its course by now and we’d be on to other things, but it seems to have staying power. It’s like watching a car accident. You know you shouldn’t, but you can’t take your eyes off it.